Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a method for controlling the same, and in particular relates to synchronous control of setting values and the like.
Description of the Related Art
Some image forming apparatuses such as printers, copiers, and multifunction machines perform log-in processing involving user authentication at the time of usage and can only be used by permitted users. In some of these image forming apparatuses, after the login processing, a usage environment (desktop layout, copy density, type of sheets to be used, and the like) corresponding to the permitted user is set based on personal settings of that user. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-170203 describes a technique that can eliminate the time and effort involved in performing settings for each image forming apparatus by centrally managing the personal settings of users on a server, and, in the case where a user logs in to an image forming apparatus, downloading the personal settings of the login user from the server.
However, with the method of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-170203, it was not possible to collectively change whether or not the server is used in accordance with the version of firmware, or for an application to freely select whether or not the server is used. For example, the image forming apparatuses include applications that transmit document data to an external server, and manage password information used when accessing the external server as personal settings. However, there are cases where needlessly managing such confidential information centrally on the server is not preferable in terms of security. Therefore, it is desirable that each application can select whether the information is managed on a server, or is only managed locally.
Also, enabling collective control of such selection in accordance with the version of firmware makes it possible to more flexibly meet the demands of customers. For example, in Ver.3.2.x firmware, security is important, and password information of all applications is prohibited from being managed by a server. On the other hand, in Ver.3.3.x firmware, user-friendliness is important, and password information of all applications is managed centrally on the server, thus enabling collective control by providing firmware according to the customer. That is, it is sought to control whether or not a server for centrally managing information is used, in accordance with a designation from an application and the version of firmware. Moreover, in the case where setting values are distributed among machines having different versions of firmware, or the firmware is updated on one image forming apparatus, whether or not the server is used needs to be collectively controlled in accordance with the change of firmware.